Apparatus and method for reproducing photographic sound records



0a. ,1931. F. H. OWENS 1,326,522

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REPRODUCING PHOTOGRAPHIC SOUND RECORDS FiledMarch 20. 1929 A HPL/F/EB IN VEN TOR. Benn/w h! ONE/Y8.

ATT NEY ,4 walls a slit 5 of narrow width to permit pas- Patented Oct.6, "1 931 g UNITED STATES r PATE T" FREEMAN H. owENs, or NEW YORK,N.YY., ASSIGNOR TO' OWENS DEVELOPMENT conv I romzrromor NEW YORK, N. Y.,

QFFICE" A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK I "APPARATUSAND METHOD FOR REPRODUCINGriro'roermrmc SOUND miconns Application filed. March 20, 1929 SeriaLNo;348,639.

I This invcntion'relates to an improved apparatus and method forreproducing photo which the rays of light 1 graphic sound records, theprincipal object of the invention being to provide means by lampordinarily employed are utilized to maximum efficiency and the volume ofthe reproduced sound from the film or other record-carrying member isconsiderably increased. 1 c

A furtherv object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus ofthe character described in which the rays of light after their passagethrough the film are split up and directed in diverging paths toward aplurality of photo-electriccells, whereby in case of the failure ofeither of the cells to function the apparatus will continue to optheclaims.

-: fication,

crate by means of the rays passing to the remaining cells.

'With the'foregoing' and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features ofarrangements and combination of parts which willbe more fully describedhereinafter and particularly pointed outin In the'drawings accompanyingthis speci- Fig. 1 is a partly sectional diagrammatic plan viewillustrating an apparatus embody- 7 ing the features of the presentinvention; and

v V Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side view of a record, showing the slit inthe supportlng gate through whichthe light rays are projected. 1

Referring to thedrawing s, 1 designates the 'usual'reproducing lamp fromwhich the light rays of constant intensity are projected through thewell known optical system, not shown, disposed between said lamp and thegate'2 through which passes the traveling I film 3 on which the soundmodulations have been photographed as indicated at 4, said gate havingformed in its front and back sage of the'light rays through the soundrecord on the film'in the usual manner. A photo-electric'cell or otherlight sensitive element from the reproducing of light 7 after thepassage of said rays 9jand 10, and the amplifier in turn connected witha loud speaker 11 by wires'12 and 13.

As is well known, in apparatus of the char-.

acter so far described, in which a single photo'- i electric cell isemployed,the modulated rays of light,ra fter'passage through the soundrecord onthe film, spread 'or diverge beyond the slit in the gate I havefound that these diverging rays can be utilized to good advantagebyintercepting and using them to excite additional photoelectric cells.For this reason, in the apparatus herein illustrated I have provided aplurality of auxiliary photo-electric cells','two being shown herein,designated '14 and 15 respectively. These cells are disposed laterallyof the rays of light at a point between their emergence from the filmand their entrance into the-cell 6, each of the cells 14 and 15 being,likethe cell 6, electrically connected of'llght and divert said raysdirectly toward the photoj-electric cells l lfand 15 respectively, asindicated by the broken lines 21." As fillus-= tratedin thedrawings, theconvergingedges as indicated by the lines 7% path of the outermost raysof tlimi'rrors are. spaced sufficiently far apart to permit the majorportion of the lightrays to pass directly to the cell 6, the reflectingsurfaces intercepting, as stated, only the outermost of the rays whichwould pass directly to said cell, together with the diverging rays. Ihave demonstrated beyond doubt that, by using these intercepted rays forexciting a plurality of auxiliary photo-electric cells, the maximumefliciency of the sound modulated rays of light is obtained and thevolume of sound reproduced from the film record is greatly increased.

It will of course be understood that while I have illustrated anddescribed herein only two auxiliary photo-electric cells, any desirednumber may be employed, and I do not in- I I tend telirnitiny inventioneither to any spe 1 v p I cific number of "cells nor to the specificlocation thereof relatively to the principal cell and the rays of light;all of which -may'be s varied Without departing from the spirit and vphotographici sound' record there0n,.meansscope Of the invention as set-fQll3hflILl3l 16- claims appended heretoi j Having thus describedmyinventiqn, what I Iclaimis: I, v I I 1 '-1'."'Ap para tns ofthecharacter described" I I comprisingfincombination,-a-filmhaiiing a II photographic sound record thereon, means .for prbjecting light.ravs'through SHidI'BCOId', a plurality of means for translating the rec-V "15 ord-modulated: light mys' int' electric im pulses, one cf. saidmeans being. disposed di-I, re'ctlyiinthe pathof said raysandvthe'ethers" I atfl-arrangle'te said pathgimeans fordiVertingksemez'ofztheraysloitlight toward said :Q angnlarly'idisposedtranslating means, and means for amplifying and renderingaudiblealliofthe impulses. YT 1' I v l znpmmm of .the' characterdescribed V compris ng-in combination, afilm having a ,f0rprojectingilight through said record, a I photo-electric .cell 7disposed directlyxini the pathof saidrecord-Inadnlated light, a pl n-4'rality"; of photo-electric cells disposed about 7 39 said-path,meanszior'diverting some (if the j raysefflight toward said latterlcellsga sound 7 amplifier, andvelectrical c onnections between' e 7said amplifier andiall :of s'aid'photo=electricl cellsyfi;

85 [of I v I comprisin'giin combination; afilin -"havingmm phtographicsound recordthereonimeans fer projecting light throngh said re cerd,faphot0- electric: cellidisposed directly intl e path f jsaidlrecerd=modulatedilightfa plirrality' of I phdto=electriccellsdispbsed ahont'said'path, reflecting surfaces"projecting-into'theipatlr 1 V f=sdme ofthe'rays ofsaid light and adapted Y 1. 4- V ,vto'divert said raysitowardsaid latter cells, a 7

45 sonnd aniplifier; and-electrical 7 connections.- 7 between saidamplifier andrall'ef-"said photc I elecl iicfc ells. I i I 7f-f-iInj-test imcny 1where0f',Iaflix in y "signature; 7 H..OW:ENSQ

